U.S. patent number 4,840,629 [Application Number 07/255,278] was granted by the patent office on 1989-06-20 for mammary prosthesis.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Silimed Silicone E Instrumental Medico-Cirurgico e Hospitalar Ltda.. Invention is credited to Ricardo A. Bustos.
United States Patent |
4,840,629 |
Bustos |
June 20, 1989 |
Mammary prosthesis
Abstract
A "MAMMARY PROSTHESIS", including a perforated lamina (10) made
of an inert nd flexible material, having a thickness not exceeding
1.0 mm and showing, when flattened, the approximate shape of an
annular sector, with an extension of about 180.degree. to about
220.degree., the inner diameter and the flexibility of the lamina
in annular sector being sized in order to allow that, with the
insertion of the prosthesis between the mammary gland and the
datached skin, the lamina (10) will assume a substantially
frustoconical shape having a slightly convex side surface and with
the inner peripheral edge surrounding the mammary areola at a
certain distance, the ends of the inner peripheral edge of the
lamina (10) being close to each other, in such a way to occupy one
of the positions adjoining and overlapping one another and the
extreme edges of the lamina remaining angularly spaced apart.
Inventors: |
Bustos; Ricardo A. (Sao Paulo,
BR) |
Assignee: |
Silimed Silicone E Instrumental
Medico-Cirurgico e Hospitalar Ltda. (Rio de Janeiro,
BR)
|
Family
ID: |
4043382 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/255,278 |
Filed: |
October 11, 1988 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 14, 1987 [BR] |
|
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PI8705600 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
623/8;
128/898 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
2/12 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
2/12 (20060101); A61F 002/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;623/8,7,11,15
;128/334R,898 ;450/55-57 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Frinks; Ronald L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Morgan & Finnegan
Claims
I claim:
1. MAMMARY PROSTHESIS, to be inserted in the breast of a patient by
an incision, characterized by comprising a perforated lamina (10)
made of an inert and flexible material, having a thickness not
exceeding 1.0 mm and showing, when flattened, the approximate shape
of an annular sector, with an extension of about 180 to about 220 ,
the inner diameter and the flexibility of the lamina in the annular
sector being sized in order to allow the lamina (10) to assume a
substantially frustoconical shape having a slightly convex side
surface and the inner peripheral edge surrounding the mammary
areola at a certain distance, on inserting the prosthesis between
the mammary gland and the detached skin, the ends of the inner
peripheral edge of the lamina (10) being close to each other in
such a way to occupy one of the positions adjoining and overlapping
one another and the extreme edges of the lamina remaining angularly
spaced apart.
2. MAMMARY PROSTHESIS, according to claim 1, characterized in that
the extreme edges of the lamina (10) show inner peripheral
projections (11) having an angular extension of about 45 each.
3. MAMMARY PROSTHESIS, according to claim 2, characterized in that
said inner projections (11) are symmetrical to the axial axis of
the annular sector and concordant with the inner circular
peripheral edge of the lamina (10).
4. MAMMARY PROSTHESIS, according to claim 2, characterized in that
said inner peripheral projections (11) show a tapered shape and are
at least partially overlapping one another when the prosthesis is
applied.
5. MAMMARY PROSTHESIS, according to claim 1, characterized in that
the inner peripheral edge is spaced apart about 3 mm from the
mammary areola when inserted in the breast.
6. MAMMARY PROSTHESIS, according to claim 1, characterized in that
end edges of lamina (10) show outer peripheral projections (12)
having an angular extension of about 30 each.
7. MAMMARY PROSTHESIS, according to claim 6, characterized in that
outer peripheral projections (12) are symmetrical to the axial axis
of the annular sector and concordant with the outer peripheral edge
of the lamina (10).
8. MAMMARY PROSTHESIS, according to claim 1, characterized in that
the opposed and outer extreme portions (12) of lamina (10) are
adapted to be fixed to the pectoral musculature of the patient.
Description
The present application refers to a mammary prosthesis particularly
to a mammary prosthesis used in the reduction mammoplasty
technique.
Several reduction mammoplasty techniques are known at present, the
first of them being defined by an inverted "T"-shaped incision,
which is made on the base of the breast and follows the direction
of the mammary areola and then surrounds the latter.
In another type of reduction mammoplasty technique, the incision is
"L"-shaped, and is made from the most extreme outer point of the
base of the breast to the median point of it, going in the
direction of the mammary areola and surrounding the latter.
In a more improved technique, such incision has been reduced to a
vertical line perpendicular to the base of the breast, going in the
direction of the areola and surrounding it.
In spite of the fact that the abovementioned techniques have
resulted in durable and beautiful shaped breasts, and even though
sectioning of the galoctophore ducts is avoided so as not to alter
breast feeding capability, the cicatrices due to the incision are
still substantially visible.
From long studies, it was ascertained that it would be possible to
obtain a cut (slice) that would be exclusively glandular,
arterialized, of lower pedicle and with no anatomical objections,
by means of only one periareolar incision.
In the cases of discrete deformities, where, in the mammoplasty
technique, the "W"-shaped excision of the glands was not necessary,
the technique of the unique periareolar incision consists only of
the division of the upper poll of such glands, into three parts, in
order to facilitate the mounting of the new mammary cone.
However, it has not been found so far any means to solve the
problem relating to the fitting of the breast formation cone with
the detached skin regarding the support of such cone in a correct
position, as the detached skin has not got any intrinsic
characteristic or function of support.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mammary
prosthesis, which adapts and integrates the detached skin to the
new mammary cone obtained during the reduction mammoplasty
surgery.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mammary
prosthesis which helps to support the mammary cone in a correct
position, and, consequently, prolongs the plastic result of the new
shape obtained from the plastic surgery of the mamma.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention
will be obtained through the provision of a mammary prosthesis,
which is inserted in the breast of a patient through an incision,
such prosthesis comprising a perforated lamina of inert and
flexible material, and a thickness not exceeding 1.0 mm and
showing, when flattened, the approximate shape of an annular
sector, having an extension of about 180 to about 220 , the inner
diameter and the flexibility of the lamina in the annular sector
being sized in such a way to allow the lamina to assume a
frustoconical shape having a slightly convex side surface and the
inner peripheral edges surrounding the mammary areola at a certain
distance, on inserting the prosthesis between the mammary gland and
the detached skin. The ends of the inner peripheral edges of the
lamina are close to each other, in such a way as to occupy one of
the positions adjoining and overlapping one another, and the
extreme edges of the lamina remain angularly spaced apart at the
rest of its extension.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lamina comprises,
at its extreme edges, a pair of inner peripheral projections having
a tapered shape, and an angular extension of around 45 each, and a
pair of outer peripheral projections having an angular extension of
about 30 each, when both inner peripheral projections are arranged
in the mammary cone, they overlap one another in at least part of
its extension.
By the above mentioned prosthesis, it is achieved simultaneously a
means of support for the mammary cone and a high degree of
integration between the detached skin and the gland, due to the
development of the fibrous reaction through the lamina perforation,
and the provision of the outer peripheral projections allows the
prosthesis to be sutured directly to the pectoral musculature of
the patient, increasing its capacity of supporting the mammary
cone.
The overlapping of the inner peripheral projections renders a
better fixation and retention of the conical shape to be imparted
to the lamina while the gap between the extreme edges or the outer
peripheral projections avoids constriction of the tissue, when
there are increases in the glandular volume.
The invention will be better understood when taken in conjunction
with the annexed drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a frontal view of the flattened mammary prosthesis;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken according to line II--II in FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 shows the breast of a patient ready to receive the mammary
prosthesis in question; and
FIG. 4 shows the mammary prosthesis in question adapted over the
gland, in a W-shape, after setting up the mammary cone.
According to such illustrations, the mammary prosthesis in question
is defined by a silicone-made lamina 10, having a thickness of
preferably about 0.005 mm, and with an approximate shape of an
annular sector, when flattened, and an angular extension of about
180 to about 200 .
Subsequent to the periareolar incision and the removal of the
mammary areola and mounting of the new mammary cone, the lamina 10
is inserted between the gland and the detached skin, covering part
of the mammary cone and the entire peripheral region of the mammary
areola.
Such covering of the peripheral region of the mammary areola is
achieved by the provision of a pair of inner projections 11 having
about 45 each, and incorporated into the lamina 10, symmetrical to
the axial axis of the annular sector and concordant with the inner
circular peripheral edge of the lamina. The inner projections 11
end in a point in order to facilitate their overlapping, to form a
circular collar around the mammary areola of the patient, such
projections being kept spaced apart from the areola at a distance
of about 3 mm, so that they do not interfere with the cicatricial
process of the region that is to be sutured.
The lamina 10 further comprises a pair of outer peripheral
projections 12 having an extension of about 30 each, symmetrical to
the axial axis of the annular sector and concordant with the outer
peripheral edge of the lamina, such projections being sutured to
the pectoral muscles of the patient in order to assure their
positioning and to increase their capacity of support. The outer
peripheral projections 12 partially cover the mammary cone,
angularly spaced apart in order to avoid constriction of the tissue
when there is an increase in volume caused, for instance, by
menstruation and pregnancy.
The lamina 10 comprises a plurality of circular holes 13 preferably
arranged in concentric alignment with the lamina in the circular
sector 10, occupying the entire area of the latter, and allowing
the total integration of the prosthesis with the gland and the
detached skin, and thus stimulating the fibrous reaction process
through the lacing and passing through the lamina/gland/detached
skin combination.
Such fibrous reactive process contributes to an important
retractive effect over the skin due to the organic reaction to the
silicone material, and is fundamental to the aesthetic result of
the new mammoplasty technique as the cutaneous retraction not only
means accommodation of the skin over the new mammary cone, but,
mainly, an adaptation made therebetween.
Finally, it should be noted that the mammary prosthesis, object of
the present invention, can be applied not only in periareolar
incisions, but also in other incisions such as, for example, the
vertical line type, inasmuch as in the case of high or grave
hypertrophies or substantial ptoses, there will fatally be an
excess of exaggerated skin, and the cutaneous retraction caused by
the fibrous reaction will not be sufficient for an harmonious
adaptation. Therefore, in this case, it is indispensable the
excision of such excess of skin and, consequently, the vertical
cicatricial sequela will be inevitable.
* * * * *